Pursuing Your Family’s Spiritual Health in the New Year

December 28, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Family of four on a couch reading a book together.

Parenting Points

As we begin a new year, we begin to evaluate what priorities and plans that we have for our family. In a year where growing spiritually looks very different than it did in January 2020 due to churches meeting online and the cancellation of many church age group ministries, the importance of parents taking an active role in their children’s spiritual development has become even more essential.

Discipling your children is a topic that on the surface may seem difficult. Most parents don’t have a degree in theology and have parts of their own faith in which they do not feel like they have all the answers. However, discipling your children in the faith is not that different than all the other areas you are trying to grow your kids as a parent. Your goal is to equip, challenge, and empower your kids to embrace life on their own and grow up to be adults who can make it on their own. Your kid’s faith is no different.

For so many years, parents have left the discipleship of their kids up to the professionals at the local church, but the Bible never states that it is your kid’s children’s or youth pastor’s job to disciple them. As the parent, you are the primary teacher and model of faith to your children just like you are the teacher and model of many other aspects of life.

In Deuteronomy 6:6-7 ESV, we are given a picture of the role of the Word and works of God in the homes of the people of Israel: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” The pattern of the passage is simple: let God transform your heart and share and teach God’s work to your kids. Discipleship is not a program but a relationship.

As you seek to grow in your own relationship with God, begin to speak and share with your kids so they can see the importance of your relationship and want a relationship of their own. It is by every day, normal life conversations of faith that the Holy Spirit’s presence can work through your relationship with God and in His deep desire to know and be known by your kids as well.

-Dr. Ben Birdsong

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

December 28, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Publisher’s Note

Is there anything more peaceful than the face of a sleeping child? Do you ever yearn for that kind of “peaceful rest”? The beautiful image of a sleeping baby visually reminds me of where real REST can be found- only in the creator of that beautiful child, our Father. Just before Christmas, as I was busying myself with my “to do list” for the season and feeling very behind in completing what I thought needed to be done, I was stopped in my tracks by this scripture verse- “I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

We have the assurance we can find true “rest” in Him- even in the midst of unrest in our world. Turning our concerns over to Him, we know that He will accomplish what really needs to take place each and every day. His hand of protection is upon us. What a relief!

We can REST in His promise found in Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

-Laurie Stroud Franklin

Founder, The Christian Family Publication, Inc.

www.BirminghamChristian.com

Facebook: Birmingham Christian Family

Twitter: @cfpBirmingham

Instagram: @cfpbirmingham

LinkedIn: Birmingham Christian Family

Celebrating 21 Years of Good News!

February 9, 2021December 28, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Money Matters

Presented by: Vision Financial Group, Inc.

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act is now law. With it comes some of the biggest changes to retirement savings law in recent years. While the new rules don’t appear to amount to a massive upheaval, the SECURE Act will require a change in strategy for many Americans. For others, it may reveal new opportunities.

Limits on stretch IRAs. The legislation “modifies” the required minimum distribution rules in regard to defined contribution plans and Individual Retirement Account (IRA) balances upon the death of the account owner. Under the new rules, distributions to individuals are generally required to be distributed by the end of the 10^th calendar year following the year of the account owner’s death. Penalties may occur for missed RMDs. Any RMDs are due for the original owner must be taken by their deadlines to avoid penalties. A surviving spouse of the IRA owner, disabled or chronically ill individuals, individuals who are not more than 10 years younger than the IRA owner, and child of the IRA owner who has not reached the age of majority may have other minimum distribution requirements.

IRA contributions and distributions. Another major change is the removal of the age limit for traditional IRA contributions. Before the SECURE Act, you were required to stop making contributions at age 70 ½. Now, you can continue to make contributions as long as you meet the earned-income requirement. Also, as part of the Act, you are mandated to begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from a traditional IRA at age 72, an increase from the prior 70 ½. Allowing money to remain in a tax-deferred account for an additional 18 months may alter some previous projections of your retirement income.

The SECURE Act’s rule change for RMDs only affects Americans turning 70 ½ in 2020. For these taxpayers, RMDs will become mandatory at age 72. If you meet this criterion, your first RMD won’t be necessary until April 1 of the year you turn 72. While the SECURE Act represents some of the most significant changes we have seen to the laws governing financial saving for retirement, it’s important to remember that these changes have been anticipated for a while now. If you have questions or concerns, reach out to your trusted financial professional.

-Bill Dowell is a Registered Representative of ProEquities, Inc. & Registered Broker-Dealer, Member FINRA & SIPC.

4505 Pine Tree Circle

Birmingham, AL 35243

205-970-4909

Vision Financial Group, Inc. is independent of ProEquities, Inc. This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party nor their affiliates.

Click Here To Learn How To Reach A Christian Audience in Alabama.

December 15, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Senior Scene

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE: BKD) recently announced that its communities have been included in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ first priority phase for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

On behalf of the more than one million individuals living in senior living communities across the U.S., Brookdale is pleased that the CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has prioritized residents and staff members of long-term care facilities in the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Ensuring residents and staff are among the first to receive the vaccine will help limit the spread of this virus in one of the most vulnerable populations. Brookdale has created a special webpage and will be using its social media channels and other digital channels to help spread the news about the first priority phase for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Please visit www.brookdale.com.

Lucinda “Cindy” Baier, Brookdale’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We have been a leader in advocating for senior housing residents and staff to be part of the first priority for the COVID-19 vaccination. As the largest senior living company in the U.S., Brookdale will be able to have a significant impact on helping our nation’s seniors. While final details are still being formulated, we are teaming up with CVS Health, with whom we have a longstanding relationship, to offer, as soon as available, on-site vaccinations to our residents and community staff, and we have registered all of our communities for the program.” She continued, “With our decades of clinical expertise in the industry, we are dedicated to the ongoing safety, clinical education and overall well-being of our residents and community staff members through this vaccination program and beyond.”

Learn more about Birmingham’s Brookdale University Park located just off Lakeshore Drive by calling 205-870-0786 or visiting www.brookdale.com. †

December 15, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Senior Scene

Dashing through December, a drive thru Christmas Party for senior adults hosted by the Hoover Senior Center, was well attended with over 160+ participants! Attendees enjoyed a special appearance from Santa, received holiday treats from “elves” (our area event sponsors) and were warmly welcomed by our cheery New Horizons Songbird holiday carolers.

Dashing through December was an event adaptation for Hoover New Horizons which has held some type of an annual Christmas party since its inception in 1987. The goal of the event was to provide an opportunity during the holiday season to connect with seniors in the community and provide a safe and festive opportunity. The New Horizons team wanted their seniors to know how much they are missed, and they look forward to priceless opportunities to connect with them during the holidays.

Although the center’s doors are still closed to the community because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Senior Center staff and various partners are serving our adults in numerous ways such as offering online programming, outreach phone calls, making socially distanced visits and hosting drive thru events. For more information, call 205-739-6700. †

December 1, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

As people gathered in lines to be counted by the government, a young pregnant woman and her husband made their way to Bethlehem to due their civic duty. On a night where everything went wrong, the couple found themselves with no good place to stay. They were far away from a moment that they would have planned for the water to break and new life to begin, yet in the moments we do not expect, hope stands on the horizon.

The child that was born to Mary and Joseph was the Child of promise. The Child of hope. The Child who came as a gift to bring life, light, and grace to a world that was crying, broken, and alone. The prophet Isaiah writes of this coming child:“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (9:6)

This child is Jesus. The Immanuel – the “with us God.” The One who descends from the greatness of heaven to the middle of our mess. He takes on skin, gets His hands dirty, and will be broken and crushed to put the broken pieces of our world back together. Jesus is the gift of Christmas. Upon Him rests the rule of the world. Jesus is never surprised by the status of our planet because He reigns as sovereign over all.

When we find ourselves in moments where we don’t understand, when we have not seen our plan happen according to our timeline, and when we feel utterly lost and alone, we have a Jesus who meets us in these moments as our Hope. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor when we don’t know where to turn. Jesus is the Mighty God whose strength is enough for us. Jesus is the Everlasting Father whose love, grace, and compassion for us will never end. Jesus is the Prince of Peace who brings rest in the middle of our storms.

This Christmas as we may find ourselves in the year where everything went wrong, where we didn’t end up where we wanted, and where we felt like hope was lost, Jesus is the Hope. He is the best Christmas gift we could imagine. Let us cling to Him and find rest in His sovereign grace and unending care for us.

-Ben Birdsong

Writer, speaker, and minister

www.benbirdsong.com

December 2, 2020November 24, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Senior Scene

Increased isolation has been a common problem for most of us during the pandemic. For older adults at higher risk for contracting Covid-19, isolation has often been a necessity. However, safe options at senior living communities like Somerby at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen is allowing senior adults to break out of isolation. Jamie Wise, Executive Director of Somerby says that new residents who have arrived since March have commented, along with their families, on what a difference the residential community has made in their lives versus being isolated at home. “It has been wonderful and a better option for our residents to live at the community rather than staying home,” explains Wise.

At Somerby, the staff strives to create a vibrant community life while keeping all residents and visitors safe. Through Somerby’s White Glove Confident Clean Program, all of the common and high touch areas are re-sanitized eight times a day. “We make sure that a resident room, when they choose to come to the community, is sanitized with our fogger, wiped down and sealed,” Wise explains, adding, “The person coming in is the person that breaks the seal to the door and knows that the room is 100% sanitized and cleaned.”

Betty Hagel and Jamie Wise holding book — Despite Covid-19, creativity abounds at Somerby. When the pandemic began, assisted living resident Betty Hagel(right) began to write her life’s journey for her family that turned into a book, Pandemic Ponderings! Here she is seen showing it to Somerby’s Executive Dir. Jamie Wise.

Wise shares that residents continue to enjoy socialization with others. Even though Somerby can only seat 50% capacity in the dining room during the pandemic, residents still have the opportunity to socialize with their friends. “Being able to go to the different areas of the building- like the library or theater or even just the living room area- has been extremely helpful to the residents.” Somerby also offers residents fun activities, like bingo and outdoor concerts, just with modifications to meet state safety guidelines. On a typical day, residents have several activity options available to them including art and movies. Residents also enjoy three meals a day from the dining room and have the option of having their food delivered to their room. “Having the meal options available to them has really kept their motivation and outlook on life up,” Wise says.

In all aspects of operation, Wise adds that Somerby staff continues to serve by its four service pillars:

1. To show love.

2. To serve with purpose.

3. To protect with care.

4. Exceed expectations.

To learn more about life at Somerby at St.Vincent’s One Nineteen and take a 3D tour of the building, click here or call 800-760-3616.

-Melissa Armstrong

February 9, 2021November 24, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Money Matters

Presented by: Community Partner Vision Financial Group

Parenthood can be both wonderfully rewarding and frighteningly challenging. Children give gifts only a parent can understand- from sticky-finger hugs to heartfelt pleas to tag along on Saturday morning errands. You raise them with a clear goal that you secretly dread will take place- that someday they will be grown, independent, and ready to move out on their own, and your work will be over.

How expensive is raising a child? The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the average nationwide cost of raising one child in a two-parent family from cradle to college entrance at age 18 ranges from $174,690 to $372,210, depending on income. (Source: Expenditures on Children by Families, 2015, released January 2017, the most recent data available) Here are four tips for planning ahead:

1. Reassess your budget. As your family grows, you may need to make changes to your budget. Many living expenses may increase, including grocery, clothing, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and housing costs. You may also need to account for new expenses, such as childcare, or adjust your budget to account for a decrease in your income if you decide to become a stay-at-home parent. Your budget may also need to expand to include new financial goals, such as saving for college or buying a home.

2. Review your life insurance coverage. What would happen to your children if something happened to you? Life insurance is an effective way to protect your family from the uncertainty of premature death. It can help assure that a preselected amount of money will be on hand to replace your income and help your family members maintain their standard of living. With life insurance, you can select an amount that will help your family meet living expenses, pay the mortgage, and even provide a college fund for your children.

3. Start building a college fund now. According to the College Board, for the 2018/2019 school year, the average cost of one ear at a four-year public college is $25,890 (for in-state students), while the average cost for one year at a four-year private college is $52,500 (the total cost of attendance includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and other miscellaneous costs). Even if those numbers don’t go up (and they are expected to continue increasing), that would come to $103,560 for a four-year degree at a public college, and $210,000 at a private university. College costs may seem daunting, especially if you’re still paying off your own college loans, but you have about 18 years before your newborn will be a college freshman. By starting today, you can help your children become debt-free college grads. The secret is to save a little each month, take advantage of compound interest, and have a sum waiting for you when your child is ready for college.

4. Keep saving for retirement. Many well-intentioned parents put saving for retirement on hold while they save for their children’s college education. But if you do so, you’re potentially sacrificing your own financial well-being.

-Hal B. Holland, Jr., RFC®

www.vision-financialgroup.com

4505 Pine Tree Circle,

Birmingham, AL 35243

205-970-4909

This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Investment Advisory services offered through Investment Advisors, a division of ProEquities, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through ProEquities, Inc., a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA & SIPC. Vision Financial Group, Inc. is independent of ProEquities, Inc.

Click Here To Learn How To Reach A Christian Audience in Alabama.

February 9, 2021November 24, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Legal Matters

Brought to you by: Community Partner Bradford & Holliman

Many of us are so ready to put 2020 behind us, but perhaps we need to take one more look at what happened in 2020 that may require updates to our legal affairs in 2021. Here are four things to consider.

1. Health. Even if you have avoided getting COVID-19, it may have impacted your estate team of executor, backup executor, healthcare or financial power of attorney, beneficiaries on various accounts, or your heirs. Give your plans a review to make sure updates are not needed.

2. Family Changes. Any new grandchildren or in-laws or… on the flip side, any divorces or deaths? Make sure your estate plan can handle these changes. And remember to check all your beneficiaries since many account beneficiary designations will over-ride what you specify in your Will. If your children have become legal adults, any clauses about guardians will not apply but do not require an update to your will.

3. Financial Ups and Downs. Perhaps your 2020 travel budget that you didn’t get to use should be reallocated to your charitable giving. If you have a new job, make sure any beneficiary designations for life insurance and 401Ks are aligned with your estate plans. We often see clients set up wills that distribute assets equally among their children, and then find bank accounts, 401Ks, IRAs, investment accounts, deeds to real estate with beneficiaries that totally skew asset distributions into very unequal amounts. If you were laid off, you may need to meet with your CPA to make sure you report unemployment payments, stimulus checks, and IRA withdrawals accurately for your tax planning based on your new tax bracket.

4. Organization. Whether your cleaning frenzy hits before holiday guests arrive or after all the presents are opened, take the time to make sure that the documentation for your affairs is well organized so that your powers of attorney and executor can find what they need easily. For example, don’t put your will in a bank deposit box unless your executor has access. Actually, we would advise for your executor to have a file for your estate including your other contacts in his/her possession well in advance of need.

Now you are ready to ring out 2020 and have a great fresh start for the new year of 2021!

-Melanie B. Holliman, JD

Partner at Bradford & Holliman

Estate Planning, Trusts & Special Needs

205-663-0281

www.bradfordholliman.com

No representation is made that the quality of the legal service to be performed is greater than the quality of service performed by other lawyers.

Click Here To Learn How To Reach A Christian Audience in Alabama.

November 24, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

Samford Legacy League’s much anticipated annual Christmas Home Tour is planned for Thursday, December 10. Now in its 10th year, this yuletide community event showcases beautifully appointed homes and raises funds to provide scholarships for students with significant financial need and challenging circumstances. To date, the tour has raised over $250,000.

The 2020 tour includes two homes in Mountain Brook and four in Vestavia Hills. The homes vary in age and range from traditional to modern. Guests will enjoy seeing a wide variety of interior styles and holiday décor on display as they journey from house to house.

Due to COVID-19, this year’s tour includes new procedures designed to meet CDC guidelines for the protection of volunteers, guests and homeowners. Masks covering nose and mouth are required. Each guest will have a temperature check and complete a symptom checklist prior to entry. Tour guests are expected to adhere to social distancing guidelines and to start the tour at the home/time selected during ticket purchase.

Advance tickets are required: $30 until December 1, then $35 through December 8 at samford.edu/legacyleague. Unlike previous years, there will be no ticket sales at the door. Guests will select their start time and first home during ticket purchase. Homes will be open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

The Legacy League is a service organization with nearly 800 members, ranging in age from 22-100. A committee of dedicated volunteers, chaired by Julie Cundiff, have been working tirelessly to plan for this year’s event, which is one of the organization’s largest fundraisers.

The 2020 Featured Homes are: Linda & Charlie Israel, 2300 Country Club Place, Mountain Brook; Carrie & Joseph Kreps, 1524 Woodridge Place, Vestavia Hills; Anne & George Lawton, 1504 Buckhead Trail, Vestavia Hills; A Southbend Home built by Taylor Burton Company, 3320 South Bend Circle, Vestavia Hills; Beth & Bill Welden, 2308 Country Club Place, Mountain Brook; Jeanna & Andy Westmoreland, Samford President’s Home, 1994 Shades Crest Road, Vestavia Hills. †

Pursuing Your Family’s Spiritual Health in the New Year

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